What does an Entegris employee look like? What do they do all day, and what do they like about their jobs? This blog begins a series that will take a deep dive into a variety of careers at Entegris. We’ll highlight several employees and their valuable contribution to the organization. What do they do, how are they succeeding, and why do they think Entegris is a great place to work?  

What was your background prior to joining Entegris?

I graduated with a doctorate in analytical chemistry from Baylor University, and as a graduate student I worked primarily with separation science and mass spectrometry systems. Following my Ph.D., I did postdoctoral work at the University of West Florida, performing research on enhancing sensitivity in mass spectrometry. I also taught analytical and general chemistry classes while mentoring undergraduates in chemical research to prepare them for graduate-level courses.

What attracted you to Entegris?

I applied to Entegris because I like learning new things and wanted to stretch myself in different areas. I didn’t have any experience yet in the semiconductor industry, so I thought it was a good opportunity to apply my skillset to something new. 

What is your role?

Right now, I’m a research scientist and team lead. My role involves using liquid chromatography (LC) and separation sciencemass spectrometry (MS) to improve the performance of slurry in chemical mechanical planarization (CMP). Essentially, I use LC-MS to look at various CMP slurries, identify their components, quantify them, and analyze their performance. Using the results of my research, we can develop new capabilities, create new products, and ultimately create more stable slurries for use in semiconductor fabrication.

Are you part of any communities at Entegris?

Apart from our community of researchers, I’ve been looking forward to joining the Employees of Color Network. In addition, I’ve been part of the Employee Resource Group, which organizes events like holiday celebrations, games and recreation, and volunteer work. 

What’s an interesting project you’ve worked on?

So, CMP slurry is used to polish semiconductor wafers. It’s made of two components (beside water) – chemicals that are used to oxidize the surface of the wafer, and abrasives that are used to remove the oxidized surface. The chemistry within the slurry can adsorb on the wafer, the polishing pad, and the surface of the abrasives depending on their properties.

What we’ve done lately is perform experiments where we tried to mimic the polishing process and bring different chemistries in contact with different surfaces to measure the extent of the adsorption. This lets us determine the potential positive or negative effect on polishing performance. I’ve used my experience with LC-MS to design our experiments and interpret the results.

What do you like about working at Entegris?

I like the company! The people I work with are very supportive and help create a good environment. Experienced researchers are easily accessible, and we have very good teamwork. All our scientists collaborate effectively to solve customer problems and respect one another. We also have a lot of ability to grow our skills and knowledge. I’ve participated in training on LinkedIn, the Entegris Academy, and the Management Applications Program (MAP).

Can you tell me a little more about MAP?

MAP training consists of a cohort that meets twice a week for six weeks to build leadership training skills. We discuss different aspects of what’s important in becoming a good leader – how to interact with people, foster teamwork and innovation, and collaborate on important projects. I’ve met people from all over the company, which represents an opportunity to network and learn from each other’s skills. It’s been an excellent opportunity to practice problem solving with my co-workers from different backgrounds.

What are you long-term career ambitions?

In the long term, I want to continue improving my leadership skills. I came in as an individual contributor, but now I’m managing a couple of other scientists and research associates. I see myself growing my research skills to help enhance our collaboration and research abilities.

Thanks to Daniel for sharing this great information about his career.  Learn more about careers at Entegris!